Storm protected feedbox assembly



June 29, 1954 H. B. KLEEMAN 2,682,255

STORM PROTECTED FEEDBOX ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 21, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Harold B. K/eeman INVENTOR.

BY MM 153% June 29, 1954 KLEEMAN 2,682,255

STORM PROTECTED FEEDBOX ASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 21. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 Harold B. K/eemah INVENTOR.

Patented June 29, 1954 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE STORM PROTECTED FEEDBOX ASSEMBLY Harold B. Kleeman, Crawford, Nebr.

Application August 21, 1950, Serial No. 180,577

1 Claim.

The present invention rel-ates to feed boxes and more particularly to the type of feed box wherein means are provided for adapting the feed box to be responsive to wind direction in order that the feed in the box be protected from wind storms, etc.

The present invention is to be employed as a protected feeder box for salt, minerals, and other feeds which are harmed or damaged in wet weather.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel structural arrangement whereby a feed box is provided with a protective hood, means for rotatably supporting the box and hood for free rotation and means responsive to wind pressure to maintain the box in protected position.

The novel feature of the present invention resides particularly in the protected bearing the drawings merely show and the following description merely describes embodiments of the present invention, which are given by way of illustration or example only.

The best form in which I have contemplated applying my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of the present invention showing the front and rear of the receptacle, respectively;

Figure 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure l a horizontal longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the plane of line i t of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the interior of the box in which the feed is placed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts, nu-

meral It designates generally the box container for the feed, numeral i2 designates generally the hood. protector for the box It, numeral M designates the means whereby the positioning of the box and hood will be regulated with respect to the wind, and numeral l6 designates generally 2 the supporting structure for the present invention.

Referring more particularly to Figure 5, the structure of the box ill will be readily understood. The box it may be formed of wood, or other material if desired, and includes a base 18, side walls 2!] and end upstanding walls 22. The base, end and side Walls of the box are all joined together by any conventional means, such as screws, glue or nails. The end walls 22 and one of the side walls 28 are each provided with a plurality of apertures M for a purpose to be hereinafter described. The base i8 is provided with a centrally disposed opening 26,

The protective hood I2 is formed from a pair of upstanding side walls 28, a back wall 30 and a top portion 32 overhanging the bottom of the hood and integrally formed with the back and side walls. The protective hood [2 is provided with a pair of side and center reinforcing ribs 34 following the contour of the back and overhanging top portion 32, and reinforcing rods 36 are placed along the side walls 28 at their edges adjacent the opening. A secondary reinforcing strap 38 connects the upper portion 4!] of the center reinforcing member 34 with an intermediate point 52 of the reinforcing member 34.

A plurality of apertures are provided in the protective hood [2 adjacent its bottom edge, and these apertures 44 are adapted to be coincidental with the apertures 24 in the box whereby bolts it and nuts ts may be employed for securing the protective hood to the box I2.

Fixedly mounted to the top portion of the protective hood 5? are a pair of outstanding struts 5% to which is welded a plate or vane 52. Other means for securing the vane 52 to the struts 5D or to the protective hood I2 may be employed as desired.

The supporting structure I6 of the present invention includes a pair of skids E i and 56 in parallel spaced relation and connected together by a cross bar 53. Medially disposed and fixedly mounted on the cross bar 58 is a vertically extending shaft housing 80, weld being employed for securing the shaft housing 69 to the cross bar 53. The shaft housing 69 is of tubular form and is provided with a flange at its upper end at 62 and a recess 64 Within the flange E32. The tubular housing 68 is provided with a grease fitting 85 whereby lubricants may be supplied, providing free rotation of the shaft 68 within the shaft housing till. The shaft housing 60 is provided with a pair of stand braces 10 and 72 which are welded at their ends to the shaft 3 housing 60 and the cross bar 58 for rigidifying purposes.

The shaft 68 which is rotatably disposed within the shaft housing 66 is provided with a thrust bearing 64 having rotatable and supporting engagement with the recess 64 of the shaft housing. The upper end of the shaft 68 is adapted to be positioned within the opening 26 in the base of the box I6, and has a reduced portion 16 which is exteriorly threaded. Rotatably disposed on the thrust bearing 18 is a disc 80 having downwardly extending lugs 82 for engagement with the external surface of the flange 62 whereby the disk 80 will be held from lateral displacement with respect to the flange. A weather cap 84 is positioned above the disk 80 and substantially envelops the same. A pair of lugs 86 are adapted to maintain the weather cap 84 firmly against the bottom of the box I by means of nuts 88. The heads of the lugs 86 are adapted to rest on the disk 80 forrotation therewith.

Positioned within the box I0, is a shaft housing 9| which is retained against the bottom of the box by means of the nuts 88 and lugs 86, and the housing 90 is provided with a bulb, portion 82 adapted to be disposed around the threaded portion 16 of the shaft 68. The bulb 92 isopen at its upper end at 94 and externallythreaded therearound. A cap 94 is adapted to be threadably mounted on the open end of bulb 92 in order that the feed will be kept from the supporting means, preventing deterioration, etc. The threaded end 16 of the shaft 68 is provided with a nut 96 which acts as a retainer upon engagement with the lip 98 at the bottom portion of the bulb 92., Access may be had to the nut 96 by removal of the cap 94.

It will readily be seen from the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the drawings, that a device has been provided which will be effectively actuated by wind forces on the vane 52 causing the entire box and wood assembly to rotate whereby the interior of the box will be pro- I deemed unnecessary.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

Supporting means for a feed box having a bottom, said means comprising a pair of laterally spaced skids, a crossbar connecting said skids, a central vertical shaft housing rising from said 'bar, a shaft extending upwardly out of said housing through said bottom, a bearing on the upper end of the housing surrounding the shaft and supported by said housing, an annular'disk on said shaft supported'by said bearing and having depending downwardly projecting lugs engaging the housing, an annular cap on said shaft rotably supported bysaiddiskand supporting the bottom of said box, a second shaft housing in said box enclosing the shaft within the box, and nut equipped lugs on said disk extending ,upwardly through said cap, bottom and second named shaft housing and securing the latter to said bottom and said bottom, cap and disk together;

References CitedEin the met: thislpatent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name v, v Date M 763,838" Barrow 'June 28,1904 1,333,775 Picotte Mar. 16, 1920 "1,492,310 Olsson Apr. 29', 1924 1,545,007 Milliken July '7 1 925 1,537,379 A Hallum' June 1, 926 1,796,466 Lage'..' Mar. 17, 1931 Malagio Dec. 2,1952 

